In The Wrong Direction
by AlwaysSandcastles
Summary: It's 2030, everyone is living different lives but the lives they're living isn't what they thought they wanted. Barney and Robin rediscover their love for each other via text conversations and realize that they are both missing something in their lives. Robin is with Ted but all of that will change cause being with him feels different. It feels wrong...B/R/T
1. Texting

It's 2030, Tracy is still dead sadly being replaced by Robin. Barney is a hands on, loving father, Robin isn't happy or fulfilled living with Ted and his kids because it feels wrong. To her, she thought maybe settling down again and being with Ted was a good idea, he's reliable and save but is that good enough for Robin? Is Ted right for her happiness and is Barney happy just being a dad to a teenaged daughter?

Unhappiness and wrong decisions makes this world of Barney and Robin's lives not fulfilled enough to be happy. The thought of being happy again wasn't as scary as it used to be but now it's now unhappy than scary.

All those questions are answered in this story. This is a month after Robin gets back together with Ted and two years since B/R started to get close again.

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><p><strong>In The Wrong Direction<strong>

"I can't do this anymore. It's gotten to be so unsettling, he's laying there crying himself to sleep... Every night, he's doing this talking about things in his sleep calling out her name. I think, I don't belong here this isn't my place."_ My place is with you. _She wants to say but doesn't.

Robin and Barney have been texting and calling each other every once in a while. But, mostly texting every day for over a year since they became closer again and she got back together with Ted.

"I told you that would happen. He's never going to get over her, you're just a replacement for Tracy. He might cover it up and do everything he can to forget..." It's what he, himself has been doing ever since their divorce, covering up his feelings over losing her again. But he's trying to let that go, desperately trying. "Her, but you never forget your true love." He ends the text with a sad emoji.

This has been happening a lot lately, Ted had been crying every night since they went to the cemetery two weeks ago. And, Robin had been worried and since she and Barney had been getting more closer in the last few years they have been texting and calling each other. Barney knows what's going on with Ted and the kids and Robin knows about what's going on with Ellie.

"She loves you Robin, she said to me just yesterday that she wants you to come around more." Robin, in all the years she's known Barney he's never been so endearing with someone but ever since his daughter came into his life, he's been acting different. He's still Barney but he's changed a lot because of Ellie. Robin had been hanging out with them recently when she isn't with Ted and his kids. Robin noticed how he's more softer towards Ellie's feelings, wants, needs and he's an all around great dad a dotting dad which to Robin is something she would have never thought some years earlier.

"I will come over soon, tell her Aunt Robin says hi and that she will come see her soon. But, getting back to Ted."

They talked for a few more minutes just texting and updating each other on different things happening in their lives. It used to be this easy once, it used to be them just hanging out, having fun days and night, just being together, being themselves. After the divorce, they went their separate ways but once they came together and seen each other more. They became their old Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky selves. The new lives, they both have now. Neither of them would have thought this would be them. Barney Stinson having a kid and being a great hands on dad and Robin being back together with Ted... But, something seemed not right, something felt wrong.

"I-" She wants to tell him, tell him that being around Ted isn't right. Being with his kids, Tracy's kids isn't right. Being a step mom wasn't her place, replacing Tracy doesn't feel good. It's an uneasy feeling to sit at the dining table every night, having dinner with them and Ted and the kids just not talking. And, Ted walking around all mopey and unhappy not talking to her. She wants to tell him that she misses him, that even kissing Ted doesn't feel right. That, she also cries herself to sleep a lot over choosing a life she didn't want. A life with the wrong guy, an unhappy widowed guy. Yes, he's a friend, and maybe something more but it always feels like Robin's the replacement for his true love. She wants to tell Barney that she still loves him. Her own true love, the guy she fell in love with and married some years ago. That the divorce and the years after it seemed unfulfilled. But, she doesn't and ends up finishing the conversation.

"I will come over this weekend, tell Ellie I want to spend all day with her." Robin doesn't say 'And you too' but she doesn't have to. It'll be fun hanging out with Ellie who's now a teenager. Robin can't believe how much the time went by. The years after their divorce seemed to go so slowly but in reality everything went fast. All the kids grew up, Tracy sadly passed away from cancer, Marshall and Lily had one more kid and left New York for California because of Marshall's latest job opportunity. And, Robin. She traveled but not for along time before finally settling down in New York again. Before running into Barney again after being apart for five years due to them not being in contact and Robin traveling. But, now that it's 2030 everything seems to be back to where it was over fifteen years ago. Just, slightly wrong and weird with a different outcome.


	2. Gone Again

This chapter is getting down to the real issue Robin has with her heart versus her safe mind. This takes a turn for her, she's still with Ted but has been hanging out with Barney more behind Ted's back. She wants to spend her time with Barney because of one reason and one reason alone. She loves him, still after along time being apart but her main problem is these two men fighting over her which cearly does not work for the long term of a relationship. B/R are trying to rekindle that old spark that seems to always be there when they're around each other and Ted and Robin are trying in a new refreshed relationship but they have so many problems and it has to do with Robin's feelings for Barney which Ted does not know about yet. He will though, remember this is a B/R story in which they do get back together but Robin doesn't know how to tell Ted because he loves her too. But, her heart and whole being belongs to Barney.

Also, there will be more of Robin and Ellie's relationship she hadn't seen her since she was a baby but now she's all grown up and loves her aunt Robin.

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><p>"So, how are you what's been going on with you lately?"<p>

Barney and Robin have been talking a lot lately, it almost feels like the old days when it was just them alone being themselves and having a good time, but now even though things have changed completely from those times they shared together. They both started talking to each other again for two years. The years they spent apart after the divorce was some of the most loneliest times for both of them but now that Barney has Ellie and is a father (it's so weird that Barney Stinson the man she fell in love with and married some years ago has a child). Robin has watched Barney and Ellie together a lot in the last few months, ever since they became close again and started talking. Once it wasn't so weird and uncomfortable to be around each other. They are back to being Barney and Robin, both of them have been enjoying being close again, so it's nice for Robin to get to spend some time with Barney and Ellie while Ted's away on a business trip and he took the kids with him while Robin stayed in New York to work. It was her excuse to hang with Barney it was their secret to keep none of their friends knew they reconnected and Ted didn't know either because Robin didn't want him to find out that she's spending time with Barney and Ellie after the fight they got into over her almost a year ago on this date.

Ugh, Barney sighs shaking his head. "I knew it. I knew you would do this again Ted. Everytime I turn away for one second you're at Robin's door step with that damn blue french horn. I can't believe you would do that to me. To our friendship, this. This is a new low for you, creeping on my ex wife again after all this time, after Tracy's death. I knew you had feelings for her but not after what you had with Tracy. I thought I could trust you but I guess I can't."

Barney is yelling at the top of his lungs, he's so had it with Ted and his obsession with his ex wife even when he's standing right here in front of both Robin and Ted shouting at both of them.

"Well, it's not my fault that I still love Robin and I know she still loves me. I loved Tracy, she was everything to me but at some point I had to move on and so do you."

Barney has no words left in him to express so all he could do is ball up his fists really tight ready to punch Ted out.

"First of all Robin doesn't love you, she loves me she told me that last night when we were having sex in her bedroom. And, second if you ever loved Tracy you would mourn her, be with your children and spend time with your family. If you want to move on that's fine but why do you always go back to Robin when clearly she does not love you?"

Robin is also standing there watching Barney and Ted yell at each other not knowing what to say after Ted came over with that french horn and saw Barney appear from the other room.

"Okay, just stop it you two. I've had enough, Ted I need you to leave now I need to talk to Barney."

Robin doesn't know why these two men still fight over her or why Ted is here. Okay, she does know why Ted's here but this was not the right time for them to be fighting over her again after all these years and everything that's happened in their lives.

"Fine, but let me tell you I do love Tracy, still love her she was the love of my life but at some point I had to move on and that's why I came here today." Ted's last words made Robin feel uncomfortable especially after she told him while he was still married to Tracy that she does still have some feelings for him but that was an inappropriate time to tell Ted that and she instantly regretted doing that so she moved on with her life until she ran into Barney only a few months ago which lead to them having brunch and talking.

"I'm sorry about Ted, let me explain please."

Robin gestured to Barney to sit down on her couch and he does without saying anything. She follows him and sits next to him facing him.

"A few years ago I told Ted that I had some feelings for him while we caught up during a lunch date, after I was traveling and decided to come back to New York. Tracy was still alive at the time. It was dumb of me to so that especially to Tracy who I did like. I know Tracy and I weren't close but it was a stupid move on my part and I regret doing that. After that I tried to move on so I worked more and stopped trying to have any relationship. I decided to settle down after along time traveling for work in New York again so that's why I think Ted came here tonight. What I told him that was wrong but then I ran into you and I realized that I still loved you, but I was scared to tell you so I didn't. I like Ted, I really do he's one of my best friends but I don't love him like the way he thinks. I love you."

Barney doesn't know exactly what to say, he knows Robin loves him but he still gets the feeling that she might still love Ted. He hates that feeling, it's the same feeling he had over his wedding weekend to Robin after Ted told him that he still had feelings for that woman he was about to marry. And, again after all these years he still has this sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach that maybe, possibly Robin does still loves Ted, maybe even more than him which is the worst feeling he's ever had felt. It's even worse than divorcing Robin when he loved her and that was the last thing he wanted. This is killing him, not knowing if Robin is being sincere or is lying to him, maybe a little over the fact that she still has some feelings left for him that she isn't telling him. Even after the night they had together just last night.

Barney turns to Robin after not looking at her at all while she told him the story about her feelings for Ted. He's so angry at Ted and now angry with Robin for keeping this a secret from him after they rekindled? Their relationship after so long being apart from each other. He's so confused and angry, he doesn't know what to say.

"Robin, I know you still have feelings for him that's obvious even on the day I married you I knew he still had feelings for you and it killed me then to think that the woman I was about to marry still had feelings for my best friend. This kills me to say this but..."

He looks away trying to contain the tears that were about to burst from his eyes. This was more painful then falling in love with her, more painful then the time she picked another guys over him, painful when he had to watch her date every single guy there was when he still loved her, more painful than when Ted told him on his wedding weekend that he still loved Robin and even more painful when Robin asked him if he wanted an out of their marriage. He doesn't know what's more painful but he does know that the look Robin is giving him right now is an honest look. He knows this look very well, the look of her crying with her desperate sad eyes and looking like she wants to go run and hide in her bedroom. It's the same look she had the night they had their first kiss and ever since then that look was also very painful to look at.

She wasn't denying it, it was written all over her tear stained face. She does still have feelings for Ted, he knew it. This was the thing that killed him, knowing that Robin still has feelings for Ted after they decided to try and give their relationship another go-around. It's a never ending thing with them, with her. She's always been so confused about her own life, what she wants, who she wants, who she loves. This has been her MO, her way of getting out of something that she clearly does want but this is just not one thing she's getting out of it's two things. Him and Ted!

"I'm so sorry Barney, I didn't mean to upset you I'm just really confused about everything right now. I love you both but I told you last night that I loved YOU and that wasn't a lie. I love you, always have and always will. If you don't understand that by now then I..."

"No, I do understand it. I understand you perfectly, loud and clear. Robin, I'm sorry but I can't do this anymore, I do love you. More than anything (Ellie not included) and when we divorced it killed me, so much so that after it I started to not care about anything or anyone until Ellie of course. But, that doesn't take away from how devastated I was when we divorced. I-I can't do this again Robin, I love you so much that I'm willing to do you a favor. I'm going to leave, we can still be friends but this sickening feeling I have at the pit of my stomach over you and your feelings for another man, a man who was my best friend. I can't do this anymore, so I'm leaving because as much as I want to be with you I can't do that while you still have feelings for Ted. I thought I could wipe this out of my mind but I can't and that's the most devastating thing in the word to me."

Barney stands up then slowly and sweetly kisses Robin on the head like he's always done after they fought and they would make up or anytime she was upset with something and they talked about it till dawn in the morning.

"Bye, Robin." He sadly walks towards the door leaving Robin sitting on the couch watching him walk out of her life again. She didn't have the energy to get off of that couch and run to him before he's gone forever again, she wanted so desperately to get up and tell him by just one kiss, one passionate kiss on his hot pink lips (lips that always seemed to get her going and made her days and nights completed) those lips made her weak and she knew her lips made him weak but she could seems to get up. This devastated her heart. Again, and again, and again this man has walked out on her, they walked out on each other and she walked out on him but each other they stayed. They stayed because their love was stronger than any fight they had or anytime they felt lonely and missed each other. But, now she couldn't do that, so she stays until the door closes behind Barney and he's gone from her apartment. From her life again... That's when she loses it.

"_Damn it, I messed it up again." He left again, he left and she stayed pitifully on this god damn couch with no movement or no sounds coming out of her mouth. He left and now he's gone again after so long being apart and not talking. He left again this time for good. She knows she could never find a way to get back to the times when Barney made her feel special and free it was the times when she thought that the feeling of being alive, being with one man, not only one man but Barney. Was the only thing she ever wanted but now that''s over again. The man she still wanted and loved is gone again and she doesn't blame him for walking out on her again._

"I'm doing great, actually I have a new job which I wanted to tell you the other day when we met for lunch but we talked about other things so I didn't get to bring it up. Ellie's doing great in school too."

Barney is in a good place after that heartbreaking time in his life, in their lives but all of what happened might have been for the best... Until, Robin told him something he never expected to hear after their day was over and Ellie went to bed.

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><p>In chapter 4 I'll explain more of the reason why Ted doesn't know about BR's relationship and why Robin is keeping this a secret. Think B/R between seasons 4 and 5 their secret summer, minus the hotness of their sexual relationship they were in love then and they still are it's just Robin's been terrified to go back to Barney because she doesn't want to ruin things with them again.


	3. It's Complicated

This chapter is mostly Robin's perspective on the two men in her life this can take her in the right direction again once she finds the right time to tell Ted everything but things happen and that time isn't right now. Think about the timing scenario here, Robin is still in love with Barney and wants to be with him but things don't happen right away... At least not for sometime.

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><p>"I don't feel anything when I'm with Ted. I know I thought I loved him but it's not the same, it has never felt right with him even after I thought I loved him and he loved me but it's not the same. I mean, he's a nice guy but being with him is weird. I can't explain it, I thought I could be with him again but the feelings I thought I had for him have been gone for along time. And, it's clear to me now that he still misses Tracy, he's just replacing me with her loss. I think he's just so lost without her and that's why he came to me that night with the blue french horn. I almost thought being with Ted was the only way to be happy and safe because he's the safe choice..."<p>

This really couldn't wait any longer, this needed to be said.

"All me life I chose the safer route because I was too scared of taking a risk so everything I've done in my adult life has been safe. I liked being safe, I liked knowing that nothing can hurt me if I don't let it hurt enough. Like my father or letting you hurt me over and over again until I felt so numb that I stopped feeling anything I felt towards you. But, now I just can't do the safe thing anymore I'm too old to play it safe. I love my job but I haven't felt completed with that. I like Ted but I just don't feel the way I do for you. I'm just not in love with him to feel that way. Do you know when I felt safe and completed?"

They are sitting on Barney's couch after the long day they had talking about everything until Robin turned the lighthearted conversation into a serious one. And, now he's just listening to what she has to say and he can't believe what he's hearing. They took Ellie to the park and got dinner before Ellie went to bed. It was a nice day.

He nods and let's her continue...

"When I felt that way. It was when we were together, when I knew I could trust you with my heart again after everything that had happened in the past we got married and it was the best decision I ever made in my life. My adult life. Meeting you and falling in love with you it never felt wrong, it was scary but wonderful to fall in love, it was something I told myself never to do but with you it felt right. I knew from the moment I first met you that I liked you and that like turned into the best 8 years of my life. I didn't know how to love or if I wanted someone to love me because of how messed up I was but you did. You loved me for who I was and no matter what I did to break your heart so many times that I don't even know how to make it right to you again. You still loved me anyway, the moment I married you I knew I wasn't scared anymore because all my life I ran because of being scared but then after we divorced I began to wonder what the hell was I doing... Letting you leave the way you did."

"He's just not me/you."

They say in unison looking at each other wondering where the time went. This time, it could be it for each other, they are both at the age where life starts to get slowly and you realize things you tried to stop realizing. They stared at each other for... They don't know, when one of them moved or talked that spell they were just under broke and everything started to come undone. Unfinished if you will...

"What about Ted? I know there's still a little part of you that can't leave him. I mean, I know you want to be with me but what about Ted and the kids and your life with them?"

Barney wants to just ask her to move in with him but he can't do that unless Robin wants to and once she tells Ted. She wanted to stay here for the rest of her life but she knows there's Ted, and that life she thought was better for her but she doesn't want to hurt Ted's feelings cause she knows he loves her.

"We can't be together until you tell Ted and let this nice guy dream of yours go. He's not a baby he can handle what you tell him. He will understand, if he cares about you enough he will understand that you don't love him and you want to be with me."

Barney's right, she wants to call Ted now and tell him everything but she doesn't want this to happen over the phone or by text. Being with Barney is what she wants but Ted still think she wants to be with him and loves him. She's too old to play these games, they're too old to play these games as serious as they are they can't be together until Ted knows.

Ted comes back home that following Sunday to Robin in the kitchen making some dinner. She is making this meal for him to tell him that she doesn't want this life, that she doesn't love him and wants to tell him about Barney but that all doesn't happen right at this time.

_**Timing: Someone once told her that if you have chemistry the timing will be a bitch and man that someone was once her very best girlfriend. Lily was right, timing is a real bitch when it takes longer to be with someone you love. Robin learned this listen several times over the years and one of those times was when she wanted to be with Barney but the timing wasn't right because he was dating someone else.**_

"My mother is sick she wants me to come visit her. Tomorrow." Damn, just when she thought she could talk to him and tell him everything she needs to tell him this happens.

_I'm sorry Barney, apparently Virginia is sick I can't tell him now._

Robin feels terrible, she always seems to get herself into these situations and never gets to finish what she starts. In this case a conversation that needs to be situated but now she can't do that cause she needs to be there for Ted in case whatever happens to Virginia is bad.

_Okay, but are you sure you aren't just dragging your feet with this?_

Barney's not shocked by this she always does this every time she gets herself into something serious she runs it's always been her weakness to her personality it's the one thing Barney can't fathom.

_No, I'm serious Virginia is sick we are going to Ohio tomorrow. Again I'm sorry_

Great, now he has to wait for an answer from her and god only knows when that will be.

Barney and Robin continue to text each other the next week talking back and forth telling each other things that aren't serious. Robin is dragging her feet on this, Barney hates this whole thing he just wishes that his life had been completed already once he married Robin but that feeling of feeling whole again doesn't seem to ever close. He wants that feeling of forever with Robin but he also knows that whenever something difficult comes up she chickens out, just like she always does. He hoped that it was easy again, easy for them to go back to the way things were. He misses her and she misses him but being together it's just not a good time and that feeling of forever with her feels to be strained again.


	4. I Know Now

This chapter is all Ted and Robin, I wanted to get this out of the way to get to the Barney and Robin part of the story. I didn't want to make this too difficult on Robin so I let Ted not be mad but understanding because he wants her to be happy.

I am trying to update some fics starting with this one.

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><p>She is ready, yes this will be really hard to do but it needs to be done and over with. It has been a weird complicated situation they had been in for a decade and a half. It's time to end this, it's time to be with her real family and be happy like she always wanted but was always so scared of what the future holds. They had gone to visit Ted's mom for a couple of days but now that she's better they are back home. Ted's relieved that his mom is fine now and Robin is ready to tell him what she's been wanting to for months now. That she is done, she wants to be with her family once and for all because that's where she belongs. After the long weekend they had they are alone sitting in the living room after dinner. The kids went out with friends for the evening so they had the house to themselves which is great for Robin because she doesn't want any interruptions.<p>

She had thought about this all weekend, trying to figure out how she will tell Ted that she's leaving him. Through texts, Robin told Barney over the weekend that when she comes back home she will tell Ted what she needs to. This made Barney so happy, for the first time in along time Robin is his again. Well, she will be his again officially when she's done talking to Ted.

For Robin, she knew this was going to be hard to do. It's going to be tough to get through but she needs to get this over with so both can move on and truly be happy. This is something she had to do or should have done along time ago possibly then she wouldn't be in this situation now. She knows now that her happiness is with Barney, it has always been with Barney and she should have put her foot down years ago but she didn't want to hurt Ted. She knew he still loved her and hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do but staying here, being in this family where she doesn't belong, trying to love Ted feels forced, like she knew they always were. She hoped he understands and takes it well because even if he doesn't take it well this needs to be done and she needs to get back to her real life with her real family and her true love.

"Listen, Ted I have been through this so many time in my head." Robin starts saying, this won't be easy at all but she thinks it will be better for them to just be friends because she know neither are happy and it's time to move on from the past. "I, have been wanting to tell you something for along while now and it's the hardest thing I ever had to do. I should have done this along time ago but I didn't want to break your heart." She's not looking directly at him, she knows this is going to be the hardest thing she ever had to do but she knows now that this isn't what she wants and she isn't happy with where her life has gone.

"Okay." Ted says listening to what Robin has to tell him.

"I'm not happy, I know you aren't happy either and even though this is a hard decision I have to get through I just want to let you know that I do love you..." She almost crying struggling to get through this conversation. "But, not in the way you should be loved. Tracy was an amazing person, has loved you in the way you should be loved, in a way I can't and she will forever be missed. She was wonderful and truly made you happy, she blessed you with two amazing kids and you truly got what you always wanted. But, I'm not a replacement for her and I feel like I am a replacement when I should be loved and not seem like I'm a second place replacement for your one true love." She looks at him taking his hand in hers crying more harder now than she has.

"Tracy was incredible, I loved her with everything I had but she's gone now and I lost the most amazing person in my life. It took me along time to get over that loss, frankly I'm not over it and I don't think I will ever be. But, I'm trying to move on because I know she wants me to move on and be happy." Ted tells her, he truly thought moving on with Robin was the right thing to do for him and for the kids.

"And, I lost someone I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with that is still alive and healthy. Someone I tried so many times to move on from but just can't because I know now that I never could or would want to move on from." He knows where this is going, Robin's breaking up with him and he knows why.

"It's Barney." He simply said knowing that after all this time and all his denial Robin's in love with Barney more than he thought she was. He tried to tell himself this wasn't true, so many times over the years he thought Robin was never truly in love with Barney but obviously she is and it's more serious than he thought.

"Yes, I'm in love with him. Always have been, I tried to get over it, tried to move on after the divorce but everything just reminds me of him and everytime I tried to move on something reminds me of what I lost. He's the one, I know it now, I've known it for along time and for months now we've been secretly talking. I have gotten to know Ellie and have been seeing him for months. Ellie even started to call me mom, she's a wonderful young girl and this is what I've always dreamed of. A family with Barney, even if I can never give him a child biologically I think of Ellie as my own. I know now that my place, my home is with him and with Ellie. They are my family, a family I never thought I wanted until recently when I started to get to know Ellie and started seeing Barney again." She had stopped crying a few minutes ago trying to get through this without completely falling apart.

"So, what are you saying?" Ted asked, knowing full well what she means.

"I love him, Ted I never stopped and when Barney told you about us sleeping together again he was telling the truth. We have been together and I'm ready to really, finally be with him for good this time. I am finally happy and I'm so sorry for hurting you but I'm moving out and in with Barney. I told him I would be moving in next week." She got up from where she was sitting to go to the bedroom to start packing her things and Ted followed her.

"So, is this really over?" He asks not happy about this but knows that this is what she wants, it what she's always wanted and it makes her happy.

"I'm sorry, I do love you but not in the way you think or should be loved. Not in the way I love Barney. I just hope you understand and it doesn't ruin your friendship with him more than it is right now. I hope we can all still be friends cause I don't want to lose that, I really like the kids and want to be a part of their lives even though I'm not living here anymore." She packs up her things and starts to leave.

"I will be back tomorrow, to get the rest of my things and then Barney's going to help me move to his place. I know this is hard for you to take but I am truly ready to move on so both of us can be happy. I know you aren't and you miss Tracy but I miss Barney. I know it isn't the same but I hope you understand so we can still be friends." Their friendship hasn't been on good terms ever since Barney and Robin's wedding weekend and she knows that after everything she should have done this along time ago because it has always been and will always be Barney for her. Her love for him just became too powerful and strong to deny anymore. She know he's the one, he's her true soul mate, her true love and she can no longer keep denying herself happiness. She can not convince herself she's happier being without Barney because she would be lying to herself and lying to Ted and most importantly lying to the only person in her life she truly loves.

"No, it won't change anything we can still be friends. Yes, it will be awkward but I still want us to be friends. We aren't like we were eight years ago but I do want to still be your friend." Ted isn't taking this well, he's taking it better than Robin thought which makes things a lot easier on her. But, he understands that this is what makes Robin happy.

"I'm glad, I don't want this to be awkward or weird between us three I really am sorry for letting you on for so many years and for not telling you what I've should have along time ago. Cause, this is not healthy for anyone, anymore and I hope you understand that it was hard for me to tell you this and it's hard on Barney too, I've dragged him through this mess and now I get t make it up to him for all the years we missed out on together. I truly hope you can move on from me and find your own happiness because I do care about you and want you to be happy." She drags her suitcase off the bed and brings it to the hallway outside the bedroom.

"I will try, it will take sometime but I will try." He tells her, she pulls him into a hug and for the first time she doesn't feel like she betraying Ted or Barney for that matter. This feels right and for their happiness, it's better this way they can move on and be happy even if it isn't with each other.

"Goodbye, Ted. I will be by tomorrow to get the rest of my things." Robin says at the front door of the house ready to leave and go home for good. Her true home.

"Have a save trip." Robin waved as she loaded the car with her suitcase closing the trunk.

As she sits in the car, the tears start to fall again and this time it wasn't sad tears. It was happy tears because she can finally move on and be happy again. After everything that has happened, she is finally going home to her real life, her real home and her real love.


	5. Finally Home

This is the last chapter, I wanted to write more to this story but I think this is a nice way to end this. Robin is happy and that's all that matters now, she and Barney are back together and will remain together for the rest of their lives because this is where they're supposed to be in their lives at this point, content, happy, in love and happy it's all they need and that's each other.

Thanks for reading!

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><p><em>It's done, I'm coming home<em>

With a sigh, Robin put the key in the ignition and pulled out of the drive way. After a half hour sitting in her parked car, after breaking it off with Ted she is finally ready to go home. She feels awful for breaking Ted's heart again but this had to be done or she would have continued to drag her feet and not go through with breaking up with Ted. She knew it would be hard to do, Ted isn't in a great place emotionally right now but it had to be done so they both can be happy. She knows he isn't happy, it's why he's been quiet, sad and talking in his sleep a lot in recent days but she needed to do this to finally let herself be happy, again for the first time in in fourteen years.

_Home_ it's where her heart is, it's where she is supposed to be and where she will forever be in because after so many years and so much time she finally gets to be happy. Happy with her choice, happy with her career, happy with just being friends with Ted, happy with the family she always wanted but was too scared to have at one time in her life. Happy with her love life, after being apart from her true love for so long and her heart shrinking more and more as the years went by thinking that they will never get the chance to be together again. She is finally going home to her real family, her real love, her real life and most of all her new happiness… Because, new is always better.

Barney has always been right about that one saying because it's true. She once told herself that you can't run back to the past just because it's familiar but this, this isn't running back to the past. The running she did to go back to the past was with Ted because it was safe and familiar. But, this isn't running back to the past, it's coming back home to what should have always been her future. The future she always envisioned having, the family she always deep down wanted, the real love that she was once so afraid of having, and the future she will have forever after her dreams died. Her love left her and so did her soul. At that time, time has stop but now the time had started ticking again once she re-found the lost love and the lost years again. She's not heading back to the past she's heading for her future, one that was always a part of her.

"I can't believe you did it, how did he take it?" Was the first thing Barney said to her after she came home and after their make out session had been put on pause.

"Surprisingly, well for someone who's gotten his heart broken again for the millionth time by the same woman. But, all and all pretty well." This was going to make him laugh but it wasn't a time for laughing and rubbing it in his friends face so instead he said.

"Hum, well I'm glad. I know it was hard for you to do what you did but it had to be done." He told her before kissing her neck with a smile on his face and hope for the future.

"Yeah, I know but it's still hard for me to do what I did and not feel a little guilty especially since he lost his true happiness. But, let's not talk about that right now I just missed you and want to um catch up if you know what I mean?" And, he does as he kisses her with passion on her lips.

"So, are you still going to move in with me today or are we going to wait a bit longer to actually do the moving?" Barney asked the next morning as they're eating breakfast.

"Yes, that was the plan. I need your help though, with the move and bringing all my things that I have at the house to here. But, yes I am going to move in today." Robin says smiling over her eggs and toast finally, for the first time happy with the choice she made and where her life is, and where it's heading.

"Great, after I drop off Ellie at school I can meet you for lunch and then later we can go to Ted's to start the move?" He asked standing up from the table and putting his dish in the sink before turning to her again.

"Sounds great, I do have to work to 6 but I'm free to do a late move." Robin, had taken a job in New York five years earlier, when she had returned to the city and ran into Ted. But, the job was stable for her to come back home to New York and ever since then she hadn't done a single over seas report which makes things much easier on her life right now.

"Okay." He tells her giving her a quick kiss before Ellie comes in the room ready for school.

"Oh, Ellie are you ready to leave?" Barney asked his 10 year old daughter hoping she's ready for school so they could get going since they're running a little late this morning.

"Yes. Hi Aunt Robin." Ellie says, saying hi to her aunt who is now officially her step mom but doesn't know that she's moving in with them or that she's going to be her step mom, well real mom since she never had a real mom and doesn't even know who her real mother is and will never know if Barney has a say in it.

"Hi, sweetie have a good day at school. We have a surprise for you later, we need to tell you something very important." Robin mentions that today, after only a year of being together and a few hours of actually being together again after so many years apart that she is about to change this young girls life and with Barney's blessing he allowed her to tell her this news once they can later on today.

"Oh, really yay." Ellie says jumping up and down excited about whatever this news is.

"Okay, Ell we have to go." Barney announces, heading for the door.

"Bye, Ellie." Robin says as Barney gives her a flirty look and a wink before leaving to take Ellie to school.

Yes, her life is finally moving again. She's finally happy and satisfied with where her life is right now and for the first time in along time she feels relieve and ready to spend the rest of her life with Barney and Ellie as the daughter she always wanted but never got to give Barney. Even if she isn't biologically hers, she still thinks of Ellie as her own daughter despite her not looking anything like her since she has blond hair and looks exactly like Barney. Robin, for the first time in her life she's finally content and happy with her life and ready to see what her future holds with the daughter she always wanted and the love of her life. It's true, life is crazy sometimes. It allows you to do whatever you want or go wherever you want and it changes everyday. The ups and downs of life itself in the last decade and half had been one fast to slow roller coaster one that she never wants to get up from and leave ever again.

_Ellie's at school see you later for lunch_

Barney texts, telling her that he will meet her where they were going to have lunch later on today. With a smile and a happy sigh she texted back.

_See you later_

After everything they been through together their lives will no doubt be a happy one and for the first time ever Robin Scherbatsky, has nothing else to do but wait until she meets Barney for lunch later since she didn't have anything to do at work this day until later on after lunch.


End file.
